Author Jennifer S. Miller on Parenting Teens: ‘Hard Experiences create the muscles of resilience’

Expert urges parents to foster independence and emotional growth in teenagers by supporting—not solving—their challenges.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Parenting today means navigating a landscape of risk, resilience, and evolving relationships, according to founder and author, Jennifer Miller. In a recent interview with 41 NBC NEWS, Miller discussed the challenges and rewards of raising teens in the digital age, drawing from her new book, “Humanissance: Igniting Courage in Our Teens and Ourselves.”

Miller emphasizes that building resilience in teenagers requires parents to allow their children to experience and move through difficult situations, rather than immediately intervening. “Those hard experiences create the muscles of resilience,” Miller said. “Our ability to hang with them, to hold the space for them non-judgmentally and with unconditional love and support, is how we can support them through those hard times—not by fixing their situation, but by helping them be agents that move through the pain and repair harm where they need to.”

The interview touched on the delicate balance between being a parent and a friend, especially as social media and technology reshape the boundaries of family dynamics. “We know we shouldn’t be a peer or a friend, but we also want to keep that sense of intimacy,” Miller explained. “Every adult relationship, every teen relationship requires healthy boundaries. So we have to have the courage to hold strong on our boundaries but also partner with them. They need to know that we’ve got their back at all times.”

As teens take on more adult privileges like driving and voting, Miller urges parents not to step away, but to continue providing guidance. “No matter what, we’re going to work through it together,” she said.

Miller’s advice comes at a time when many parents feel uncertain about how to connect with their children amid the pressures of modern life. Her approach offers hope for families striving to raise courageous, resilient young adults.